Car-truck.



PATENTED SBPT.15, 1903. v

E. CLIFF.

GAR TRUCK. APPLICATION "FILED mu a, 1903'.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

| \-i' INVENTOR Edward 671)?" s m m I WITNESSES: iga/wfi ATTORNEY Tu: Nom'us Wrens 00., PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

No. 738,773. PATENTED SEPT. 15,. 1903.

- E. CLIFF.

GAR TRUCK.

APPLICATION rum) MAY 2. 1903. no MODEL.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

S {4 WITNESSES: 7| 0R EdwanZClzfi' BY ATTORNEYW Tu: nonms p'crzns m. Pnomuma. WASHINDTON, a c.

no. a ave.

iatented September 15, 1903i PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD CLIFF, OF NEW YORIQ'N. Y.

CAR-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,773, dated September 15, 1903.

Application filed May 2, 1903 Serial No. 155,289. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, EDWARD CLIFF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in trucks for electric cars and the like; and it consists in the novel features, construction, arrangement, andcombinationsof parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The objectof the invention is to simplify and rendermore efficient and durable electriccar trucks, and in addition to secure an easyriding action in the truck and also to afford a construction in which adequate space is provided for the parts connected with the electric apparatus, the latter not forming any part of the present invention.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top view, partly broken away, of a car-truck constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through one side frame of same on the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a like section of same on the dotted line 4. 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the car-truck. Fig. 6 is an enlarged top view of same. Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse section through a portion of same on the dotted line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. Sis a detached perspective view of one end of one of the equalizing-bars. Fig. 9 is a detached perspective view of one of the pedestal frame members. Fig. 10 is a detached perspective view showing the other pedestal frame member and a portion of one of the arch-bars of the side frame,and Fig. llis a detached perspective view of one end portion of the lower tie-bar of the side frame.

In the drawings, designates the upper longitudinal beam of the side frame; 21, the lower tie-bar of the side frame; 22, the archbar connecting said beam and tie-bar, and 23 the end bars which connect one side frame with the other corresponding side frame and furnish the outer pedestal members 24, one of which is illustrated in detail in Fig. 9, while the other or inner pedestal frame members 25 are furnished by the outer ends of the archbar 22, one of said pedestal frame members 25 being illustrated in Fig. 10.

The upper beam 20 of the side frame is preferably in the form of an angle-bar, one flange of which is horizontal andthe other vertical, as shown in Fig. 7, the vertical flange (numbered 26) being at the inner edge of the side frame. The beam 20 is a plain straight beam extending from one end to the other of the truck-frame, and the tie-bar 21 corresponds in width with and is directly below said beam 20, and its ends, which are somewhat thicker than the other portions of the bar, are formed with the recesses 27 28 to receive, respectively, the feet 29 30, formed at the lower ends of the pedestal frame members 24 25, these recesses and feet being illustrated in Figs. 9, 10, and 11 and said feet being secured within said recesses by the end walls of the latter and suitable bolts or rivets 31.

' The end bars 23, carrying the pedestal frame members 24, are adjacent to the upper ends of said members secured to the beam 20 by means of suitable bolts or rivets 32, and it will be seen that the pedestal frame member 21 extends Vertically intermediate the beam 20 and tie-bar 21. y

The arch-bar 22 at-its lower middle portion is secured to the tie-bar 21 by means of bolts 33, and at its ends the said arch-bar 22 is formed with the thickened horizontal sections 34:, which bear against the lower surface of thebeam 20 and are formed integrallywith the inner pedestal framemembers 25, the latter extending vertically betweenthe beam 20 and tie-bar 21. The thickened sections 34: at the ends of the arch-bar 22 are secured to the beam 20 by means of bolts 35, .whichare also utilized as a means for aiding in centering the upper caps 36 for the coiled springs 37, said caps 36 at their lower ends being circular and hollow to receive the upper ends of the springs 37, and above said circular portion having the upwardly-extending flanges 38 to pass upwardly upon opposite sides of the section 34 of the arch-bar 22, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. The upper ends of the caps '36 below the sections 34 of the arch-bar 22 are apertured to receive the heads on the bolts 35, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 5, said caps thus not interfering with said bolts and the heads of said bolts being utilized in aiding in centering said caps, which will be kept pressed upwardly against the sections 34 of the arch-bars by means of the springs 37.

At each side of each side frame of the truck is provided an equalizing-bar 18 of novel form and construction, comprising the straight flat plate or bar having at its ends the rectangular frames 39, encompassing the axle-boxes and resting at their upper ends upon the same, the upper ends of the said frames 39 being set behind ribs 41, Fig. 4, formed on said boxes. The equalizing-bars at each side of the side frame are exactly alike, and both of said bars are hung upon the axle-boxes 40 and are acted upon by the springs 37, the lower ends of said springs 37 having their bearing in the lower caps 42, which rest directly upon the horizontal portion of the bars 18 and are centered thereupon by means of flanges 43, Fig. 3, which pass downwardly upon the edges of said bars 18. The springs 37 are therefore confined between the horizontal portion of the equalizing-bars 18 and the upper beam of the side frame, and there will be at least one of these springs 37 at each end of a pair'of equalizingbars 18, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be observed upon reference to'Fig. 2 that the springs 37 are close to the inner edges of the frames 39 of the equalizing-bar's and that these bars are hung upon the axle-boxes 40, whereby I am enabled to locate the springs i 37asclosely as possible to said boxes, it being my purpose that the springs 37 shall be just as close as possible to the car-axles.

The frames 39 are vertically disposed, and

p the inner sides of said frames being vertical ets 44 a rectangular frame 45, composed of side members 46 and lower horizontal member 47, the latter being secured by the bolts or rivets 33 upon the upper surface of the arch-bar 22, while the upper ends of the mem 7 bers 46 are formed with the horizontally-extending flanges 48, through which the bolts 44 pass in securing said frame 45 to the upper beam 20. The frame 45 is preferably in one integral piece and is of rectangular outline,

as illustrated, and this frame 45 very materially strengthens the middle portions of the side frame of the truck and in addition defines a space through which the forward ends of the semi-elliptic springs 49 may pass. The

Y side members 46 of the frame 45 also afford adequate means for aiding in securing the outer ends of the transoms 50, these transoms 50 being two parallel 7 plates extending. from one side frame to the other and at each side frame, as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 7, being recessed, as at 51, to fit around the inner vertical and lower horizontal surfaces of the beam 20 and thence extending outwardly by means of an extension 52 to afford bearings for a bolt 53, upon which is hung the saddle 54 for the front end of the springs 49, this saddle comprising a horizontal bar having a curved upper surface and upwardly-em tending end arms swiveled upon the said bolt 53, and the upper surface of said bar being curved, as shown in Fig. 7, to properly afford a bearing for the end of the springs 49, the latter being formed with the curved bearingsurfaces 55 to engage said bar. The transoms 50 are at their ends set within recesses 56, Fig. 5, formed in the upper facing sides of the members 46 of the frame 45, and said transoms are effectually supported at their lower edges by the lower walls. of said recesses 56, the latter being equal in width to the width of said transoms, whereby the facing surfaces of said transoms become disposed on the same Vertical plane as the facing surfaces of the said members 46 below said transoms, a smooth rectangular space being thus formed for the play of the outer ends of the springs 49. The transoms 50 are therefore simply two plain plates set on edge and recessed, as at 51, to engage the angular sides of the beam 20 and extending outwardly therefrom to afford bearings for the bolt 53, whereby the latter is enabled to support the saddle 54 outwardly beyond the vertical plane of the side frame. The transoms 50 are further secured by bolts 57, extending horizontally through the members 46 of the frame 45, and also by the angleplates 58 59, riveted to said transoms and to the vertical flange 26 of the beams 20, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 The transoms 50, constructed, arranged, and secured as described, very materially increase the strength, durability, and efliciency of the truck and are capable of ready manufacture.

The springs 49 are semi-elliptic springs and are illustrated in the drawings as being under the weight of the load to be placed upon them, and these springs 49, two at each side of the truck preferably being employed, are mounted at their ends upon the aforesaid saddle 54 and a corresponding saddle 60, the latter being secured upon a bolt 61, extending horizontally through the transoms 50. The saddle 60 has the upper surface of its horizontal bar curved to enter a correspondinglyformed recess 62 at the inner ends of the springs 49, said springs having correspondingly-formed ends to engage the correspondingly constructed and operating saddles 54 60, and the said springs are semi-elliptic springs, each having a central band 63,and said springs at the opposite sides of the car-truck receiving upon their central portions, which are at the inner sides of the truck side frames, the

floating bolster 64, which is recessed in the separately claimed herein, but will preferably be a cast bolster in one integral piece and ,adapted to receive the impact of the body I 46, although it is preferable that the said manner.

bolster carried by the car body in the usual The bolster 64 is supported wholly upon the transversely-disposed springs 49,

and the latter are supported upon the pivotally-mounted saddles 54 60, which when the load is placed upon the bolster 64 may at their lower ends spread outwardly from each other, as shown in Fig. 7, to-allow of a proper compression of the springs 49.

In the construction above described the frame 45 is shown as being in one integral piece and bolted to the upper side beam 20, but should the side beam 20 be made by casting the frame 45 could be cast integrally with the beam 20, and it is unnecessary, of course, that the lower member 47 be in one continuous piece and integral with the side members member 47'and side members 46 beformed in one piece, since by thus constructing it some labor is saved and strength is assured to the frame 45 as a whole. The upper side beams 20 are preferably of angle-bar shape with one fl nge arranged horizontally and the other .fiange 26 extended vertically upward at the inner edge of the side frame, this construction zontal flange becomes the tension member of.

being desirable because with it the broad horithe beam and the bolts 32, 35, and 44 for respectively securing the end bars 23, arch-bar.

22, and frames 45t0 the beams 20 are always fully exposed for ready inspection.

In the employment of the truck the springs 3 49 will yield verticallyand may also move in line with their length laterally of the truck,

so as to permit the bolster 64 to have a transverse endwise movement, and it is an impor tant feature of this part of my invention that the bolster is supported at its ends at the inner side of the side frames uponindependent movable springsextending transversely of the truck, because by reason thereof an especially easy-riding truck is produced, and

the thrusts exertedupon and transmitted by the springs are prevented to a maximum extent front injuring or straining the side frames and other parts of "the truck. The independent springs 49 at each side of the truck are supported from the transoms, and their central bands 63 areat the inner side of, the side frames and at the ends of the bolster, the latter being of minimum length and weight. The independent springs 49, mounted upon the pivoted saddles, are of special importance when the truck is passing around curves in the track, since at such time, when the car is curving in one direction, the outer end of the left-hand springs and inner end of the right-hand springs will, by reason of the movement of their saddles, ride upwardly and be braced by said saddles, and when the car 65.

iscurving in the other direction the outer end of the right -hand springs and inner end of the leftdiand springs will, by reason of the i springs, said bolster at the inner side of the side frames bearing on said springs; sub- .stantially as set forth.

2. In a car-truck, the side frames, the transoms connecting said side frames, and the floating bolster intermediate said transoms, combined with the independent semi-elliptic transversely -arranged springs at opposite sides of the truck and supporting said bolster, and the pivoted saddles suspended from said transoms and receiving the ends of said springs, the outer saddles for said springs be- .ing at the outer side of said side frames and .the center of said springs, receiving the ends of said bolster, being at the inner side of said side frames; substantially as set fort-h.

3. In a car-truck, the side frames, the transoms connecting said side frames, and the .fioating bolster intermediate said transoms,

combined with the independent semi-elliptic transversely-arranged springs at opposite sides of the truck and supporting said bol- Qster and having the curved recesses 55, 62 in, the lower sides of their ends, and the pivoted saddles 54, suspended from said transoms at opposite sides of the truck and having the curved upper surfaces to engage saidre- ;cesses, said saddles supporting said springs at their ends and said springs receivingthe ends of said bolster at the inner sides of the said side frames; substantially as set forth.

4. In a car-truck, the side frames, the transoms connecting said side frames and se- .,cured thereto, and the floating bolster inter .mediate said transoms, said transoms being extended transversely beyond said side frames and at their ends forming the project- ,ing extensions 52, combined with the independent semi-elliptic transversely-arranged springs 49 at opposite sides of the truck and supporting said bolster at its ends at the in ner sides of the side frames and at their outer ends projecting outwardly beyond said side frames, the bolts 53 extending across and supported by said extensions 52, the saddles 54 swiveled upon said bolts beyond said side frames and supporting the outer ends of said springs, the bolts 61 extending across and supported by said transoms, and the saddles 60 swiveled upon said bolts 61 and support:

ing, the inner ends of said springs; substantially as set forth. I

5. In a car-truck, the side frames compris ing the upper and lower connected bars, the

upper bars. being in the form of angle-irons arranged with oneflange horizontal and the other vertical and at the inner edge of said; horizontal flange, whereby the latter is madeg the tension member and left fully exposed,f

combined with the vertical bar members 46 3 extending downwardly from the upper barsf of the side frames and having the horizontal? members 48 secured to said horizontal flanges,

: and the transoms 50 extending transversely;

across the truck and seated inrecesses formedj in the vertical sides of said bar membersj substantially as set forth. '6. In a car-truck, the side frames comprising the upper and lower bars, the said upper{ bar being in the formof an angle-iron, com-;

bined with the frame 45 having the membersf; '46, 47 and 48, said members 48 being secured;

tosaid angle-iron and said member 47 to saidl lower bar; substantially as setforth. 7. In acar-truck, the side frames compris-1 'ing the upper andlower bars, and arch-barsj 22 disposed intermediate said upper and lower bars and at their outer ends provided? 'with the horizontal portions 34 secured to the;

said upper bars, combined with the axle-i boxes, equalizing-bars engaging said axle-l boxes, coiled springs disposed intermediatef said equalizing-bars and said horizontal por-i tions 34'of said arch-bars, the caps engaging set forth.

8. In a car-truck, the side frames compris-i ing the upper and lower bars, and the arch-Q bars intermediate said upper and lower bars;

andsecured thereto and having integral with their outer ends the vertical pedestal'frame members 25, combined with the end bars 23- connecting the upper bars of the side frames and having integral with their ends the ped-j estal frame members 24 to match the said, pedestal frame members 25; substantially as. set forth.

9. In a car-truck, the'side frames compiis;

ingthe upper and lower bars, and the intermediate arch-bars 22 having at their outer; ends the horizontal portions 34 and pedestal frame members 25, combined with the axleboxes, equalizing-bars engaging said axle--, boxes, the springs intermediate said equalizing-bars andsaid horizontal portions 34 of said arch-bars, the caps 36 engaging said horizon-l talportion 34 and receiving the upper ends of said springs, and the caps 42 engaging-said equalizing-bars and receiving the lower ends:

of said springs; substantially as set forth.

- 10. In-a car-truck, the side frames compris-' ing the upper and lower bars, the axle-b0xes,

pedestal frame members for said axle-boxes,

and equalizing-bars engaging said axle-boxes at opposite sides of each side frame, saidf equalizing-bars engagingthetops ofsaidboxes 1 [and extending vertically downward along the inner or facing sides of saidboxes, combined 'with the springs interposed between said equalizing-bars and the upper bars of the side frames and in close relation to those portions of said equalizing-bars which extend vertically adjacent to the inner face of said axleboxes; substantially as set forth.

11. In a car-truck, the side frames comprising upper and lower bars, the axle-boxes, pedestal frame members for said axle-boxes, and the equalizing-bars 18 engaging said axleboxes at opposite sides of each side frame, said equalizing-bars at their outer ends having frames 39 encompassing said axle-boxes, combined with the springs interposed between said equalizing bars and the upper bars of said side frames; substantially asset forth.

I 12. In a car-truck, the side frames comprising upper and lower bars, the axle-boxes,

pedestal frame members for said axle boxes,

and the equalizing-bars 18 engaging said axleboxes at opposite sides of each sideframe, said equalizing-bars at their outer ends having frames 39 encompassing said-axle-boxes, combined with the'springs interposed between said equalizing-bars and the upper bars of said side frames, the caps 36 receiving the upper ends of said springs, and the caps 42 receiving the lower ends of said springs and having the flanges 43 to pass upon the edges of said equalizing-bars and connect the equalizing-bar at one side of the side frame with the equalizing-bar at the other side thereof; substantially as set forth.

13. In a car-truck, the side frames compris ing upper and lower bars and the intermediate arch-bars connecting said upper and lower bars and having at their outer ends adjacent to the axle-boxes the horizontal portions 34,com-

bined with the axle-boxes, pedestal frame members for said axle-boxes, equalizing-bars engaging said axle-boxes at oppositesides of each side frame, and the springs interposed between said horizontal portions 34 of the arch-bars and said equalizing-bars; substantially as set forth.

14. In a car-truck, the side frames comprising upper andlower bars, and the integral frames 45 intermediate and connecting said upper andlower bars, said frames 45 comprising the vertical members 46 and lower horizontal member 47, combined with the tran- "soms 50 extending transversely across the truck and secured at their ends to said frames 45, the upper outer edges of said transoms being recessed to fit upon the inner vertical and lower horizontal surfaces of the upper bars of said side frames; substantially as set forth.

York and State of New York, this 30th day of April, A. D. 1903. i

- EDYVARD CLIFF.

Witnesses:

CHAS. O. GILL, ARTH R "MARION.

Signed at New York, in the county of New 

